Advance the Gospel

Here Is Some Advice: It’s All About Jesus

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We are in the midst of a series of posts entitled “Here Is Some Advice…” I have received advice from men of God across the United States. These men come from different stages in ministry. Some have pastored for decades while others for just a few weeks. Each man loves Jesus and has been very kind to allow us to be a part of a church service. The advice from these men is priceless to me. The advice I will highlight for this post is something I desire live by. I want it to be the theme of my life.

Here is some advice, It Is All About Jesus!

I sat across from a man of God. The church service had not yet started. I asked him for any advice he might give me. His response was most appropriate, “It is all about Jesus”, he said. Everything you do, everything you attempt, every mile you drive, every service you are in, every church you plant, every soul you give the Gospel to, every man you train, it is all about Jesus! This was incredibly simple, and yet profound.

My life is all about Jesus. Everything I do, it is all about Jesus. It is easy to get distracted. Pride can change my motives, but in the end it is all about Jesus. Our lives are very busy. We travel from church to church sharing our hearts and encouraging brothers and sisters in Christ. We will leave for Argentina in March. We will finish language school and learn the culture. We will train men, plant churches, and share the Gospel. We will see other churches started. In all of our efforts, in all of our labor, the important thing to remember is that it is all about Jesus!

Colossians 1:16-20 says “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.” It is all about Jesus!

What are you doing? What are you attempting to do? What are your dreams? If the answer to these questions do not point to Jesus then we are failing to do what we were created to do. I am speaking about motive. Our motive that propels us is the fact that in everything we do, it is all about Jesus!

Here is some advice, it’s all about Jesus!

Here Is Some Advice: Do Not Neglect Your Private Time With God

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We are continuing our series “Here is some advice…” It is based off the advice we are given as we travel from church to church sharing our hearts on deputation.  Advice from men of God who have experienced the highs and lows of ministry and life is invaluable to a young family like ours. This week’s post is advice I have been given for years. I remember the first time I heard this, I was a few months from going away to Bible College. I heard while in college a handful of times. I have been encouraged by it while in ministry as well.

Here is some advice, do not neglect your private time with God.

The last time I was given this advice I was sitting across from the Pastor in his office. He told me, “As you know the ministry is busy, and you are already in the Bible a lot studying and preparing messages for each service of the week. It is real easy to spend so much time in preparation that you spend little to no time in just reading the Bible and praying just to know God.” Personal or private time with God is essential to a believers walk with Jesus. It cannot be substituted by study time for messages. This is specifically in the context of a preacher or teacher of the Bible. You already spend so much time studying the Bible in preparation of a class or church service. This seems strange because either way you are in the Bible but I think it comes down to motive. Spending time with God just to know God, love God, Praise God, and be open to God’s Word as we learn from it is different from studying a specific passage for a message. Both are very good and both are very beneficial. The private time with God is very special. The Pastor went on to tell me, “Do not neglect the time when you go before God privately and empty your heart in prayer before Him, telling Him things you dare not tell anyone else. Sharing your struggles, concerns, fears, and desires to accomplish His plan.” This time is different from the prayer time we have at the church during a service. Both are good, both are beneficial but the time we spend privately with God in prayer is very special.

What does the Bible say about this private time with God? (disclaimer: the verses used here have context that would be worth the time of the reader to study out. For the sake of time and keeping with the theme of this post, we will just mention the specific verses)

  • David declared his personal time with God. “O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;” Psalm 63:1
  • Jesus encouraged a personal, private time with God. “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” Matthew 6:6
  • Jesus exemplified a personal, private time with the Father. “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.” Mark 1:35

Our private time with God should be priority in our lives, not because we have to, but because we want to. We should desire this time with our God. Here is some advice, do not neglect your private time with God.

Here Is Some Advice: Be Patient

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On average we are in 12 churches per month. We have had the opportunity to learn from men who are serving God that come from very different backgrounds. We have shared our hearts and we have asked men of God to share advice with us. The counsel and advice I’ve been given these past months has been priceless! The topic of today’s post comes from another seasoned man of God. He told me, “Sanctification is a life-long process, be patient.” Sanctification is the “setting apart” work of God. In one sense, we are “sanctified” positionally because of what Jesus has done in dying for our sins. In another sense, are “sanctification” is an on-going process. We are becoming more and more like Jesus as we submit to Him.

We want to see folks saved, discipled, and trained to serve God. Often times, we can get in such a hurry that we lose patience with brothers and sisters in Christ. We want to see them “progress” much faster than they are. This turns into frustration very quickly. Remember to be patient with people. God is at work, love them and lead them. How can we be patient like this? Here are two things to remember…

  • Remember where you come from. I can be patient with others when I remember how God has worked in my life since the day I was saved. I can look back at the progression. At times it may have looked like I was at a “stand still”, but I wasn’t, God was still working on me (and He still is).  The night I believed on Jesus, I did not wake up the next day knowing all the Bible, knowing how to navigate this world, and knowing how to let go of sinfulness in my life. Truthfully, I was still a mess and didn’t even realize it. It took years before I even realized things needed to change. It took God’s Word, the Holy Spirit, and a loving, patient church to build me and lead me to serve Jesus! Remembering how long it has taken me (or how long it is taking me) helps me remember that sanctification is a life-long process and I need to be patient wth others as they draw closer to Jesus!
  • Remember God is the One who sanctifies. God absolutely uses the local church to build and love His children to conform to His will, but it is God who does the work! God’s Word convicts us and changes us! Jesus prayed in John 17:17, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” Jesus didn’t make this request to His disciples. He didn’t encourage Peter, James, John and the guys to sanctify those who are saved. They couldn’t do it and neither can we. Jesus asked God the Father to do so because this is a work that only God can do!

Being patient with people is not easy, but it is absolutely necessary. God is at work. As you and I serve Jesus in our local churches, remember that sanctification is a life-long process, so be patient with your brothers and sisters in Christ that you are discipling and training.